Snaps "Black ties are out!" (5)
I believe the answer is:
bites
'snaps' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being plural nouns.
Maybe there's an association between them I don't understand?
'black ties are out' is the wordplay.
'black' becomes 'b' (abbreviation as in pencil hardness).
'are out' indicates anagramming the letters (out can mean wrong or inaccurate).
'ties' is an anagram of 'ites'.
'b'+'ites'='BITES'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for bites that I've seen before include "Mouthfuls" , "Nibbles" , "Morsels" , "Stings" , "Nips to" .)